A Randomized Controlled Trial
A study in the latest edition of Art Therapy: Journal of the Art Therapy Association examined the use of Art Therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy with those with combat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). From the article:
“This randomized controlled trial was designed to determine if art therapy in conjunction with Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) was more effective for reducing symptoms of combat posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than CPT alone. Veterans (N = 11) were randomized to receive either individual CPT, or individual CPT in conjunction with individual art therapy. PTSD Checklist–Military Version and Beck Depression Inventory–II scores improved with treatment in both groups with no significant difference in improvement between the experimental and control groups. Art therapy in conjunction with CPT was found to improve trauma processing and veterans considered it to be an important part of their treatment as it provided healthy distancing, enhanced trauma recall, and increased access to emotions.”
Read the whole article at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07421656.2016.1226643